Character adding device for typewriting equipment



Nov. 13, 1962 s. E. HARTNETT ETAL ,0

CHARACTER ADDING DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITING EQUIPMENT Filed 001'.- 7, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet l ATTOP/VEVF 1962 s. E. HARTNETT EI'AL 3,063,541

CHARACTER ADDING DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITING EQUIPMENT Filed Oct. 7, 1960 s Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTORS I #03607 Tit #0190 4 y SEW/AWE. MPH/A77 1962 s. E. HARTNETT ETAL 3,063,541

CHARACTER ADDING DEvIcE FOR TYPEWRITING EQUIPMENT Filed Oct. 7, 1960 s Sheets-Sheet s 3,063,541 CHARACTER ADDING DEVICE FOR TYPEWRITING EQUIPMENT Stephen E. Hartnett, Rocitville, Md., and Robert H.

Twyford, Alexandria, Va., assignors to Mechanical Enterprises, Ina, Arlington, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed Oct. 7, 1960, Ser. No. 61,137 24 Claims. (Cl. 197-180) The instant invention relates to a device for applying or inserting in typewritten matter additional characters such as letters, signs, symbols, etc. in the operative use of a standard typewriter. More specifically the invention is directed to a device cooperable with standard typewriting equipment which facilitates applying characters, such as special characters, not usually provided on the keyboard of the standard typewriter, in typewritten matter in conjunction with or as a step in the conventional operating procedures of a standard typewriter.

In the use of standard typewriting equipment there may arise the necessity to insert different specialized characters such as letters, signs, symbols, etc. in the typewritten matter where such specialized characters are not commercially available as keys on standard typewriter keyboards. This is especially true in the typing of materials in scientific and technical fields where characters of the Greek alphabet, electrical and scientific symbols, and other signs, etc. are not infrequently used in the text of such materials.

The absence or unavailability of type bars on the standard typewriter keyboards for producing these characters when necessary requires the insertion of the appropriate character by hand printing after the typewritten matter has been removed from the machine. Aside from the time required to insert such characters by hand printing, there is always the possibility of error in such a hand printing operation and/ or the inadvertent omission of the character in completing the typewritten matter. More over, the hand printing operation by inked lettering of the characters inserted detracts from the overall general appearance and neatness of the finished typewritten product.

Although not commercially available for use with conventional or standard typewriting equipment the prior art has proposed an attachment usable with typewriting equip ment for inserting in typewritten matter additional characters which are not provided on the keyboard of commercially available typewriters. This prior art proposal has suggested a rather bulky and cumbersome housing block which is mounted in a position relevant to the typewriter platen such that it obscures a material portion of the words as they are typed and therefore is objectionable from the standpoint of blocking the typed material from the view of the typist. The housing block accommodates different swing suspended type bars which are mounted to swing into engagement with the ribbon, paper and platen in producing the special character in the typewritten matter. In use of this proposal, the swinging movements of the type bar in printing a special character create problems in obtaining accurate alignment of the added character with the other typed characters and may produce a somewhat smudged or indistinct impression of the special character in the typewritten matter.

Having in mind the above mentioned problems in applying specialized characters in typewritten matter and the drawbacks of the prior art, the instant invention has been conceived with the principal object thereof being to provide an improved device to facilitate applying additional characters in typewritten matter in conjunction with the operation of standard or conventional typewriting machines whereby the direct typing of various characters such as letters, signs, symbols, etc. not normally found tent 3,063,541 Patented Nov. 13-, 1962 on such machines may be produced without in any way to provide a device of the character described which is adapted to permit rapid selection and insertion of a'desired special character such as letters, signs, symbols, etc. into the matter being typed in a manner such that the special character will provide a neat appearance and not detract in any manner from the finished typed product.

Another important object of the instant invention is to provide a device which may be rapidly attached to or engaged with a standard conventional typewriting machine without interfering with the normal operation of such machine or materially obstructing the viewability of the matter as it is typed on such machine and which device is applied to such machine to facilitate applying additional characters to the typewritten matter without making any change in the existing parts or structure of the conventional typewriting machine.

It is also an object of the instant invention to provide a device of the character described which with only minor alteration or substitution of existing parts or structure of a conventional typewriting machine can enable selective insertion of a practically unlimited number of additional characters in a simple and expeditious manner While not interfering with the normal and usual operational steps in use of the typewriting machine.

The above and other objects and novel features of the instant invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 'It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to define the limits of the invention,- but rather to merely illustrate preferred embodiments and structure invention.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the device of the instant invention is associated with a standard typewriter;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view with parts in section showing the manner in which the character adding device is operated by a typewriter type bar;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view of the character adding device holder;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 2; i

FIGURE 5 is a rear elevational view of the character adding device adaptor bracket;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the adaptor bracket;

FIGURE 7 is a plan view of the adaptor bracket;

FIGURE 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 88 of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the character adding device may be applied by modification of or replacing the type ba-r guide of a standard typewriter;

incorporating the features of the instant FIGURE 10 is a rear elevational view of the modified type bar guide, and;

FIGURE 11 is a side elevational view of the modified type bar guide.

The device of the instant invention either as illustrated in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 1 or the embodiment suggested in FIGURE 9 is adapted to be employed with conventional or standard typewriters to facilitate applying an additional character such as letters, symbols, signs, etc., to typewritten matter in conjunction with operation of the typewriter by use of the regular typewriter keyboard' This device enables a practically unlimited number of various specialized characters to be typed into the matter, thus greatly extending or expanding the range of characters producible by a standard typewriter having a more or less conventional keyboard;

The instant application is a continuation-in-part of the copending application filed April 18, 1960, Serial No. 27,983, now abandoned. This prior application discloses the basic novel features of the instant invention and specifically illustrates and describes embodiments of the invention incorporating slightly different structural details than are included in the embodiments shown on the drawings herein. Reference may be had to this prior application for disclosure of these different structural details as contemplated within the scope of the broader aspects of the invention, it being understood that the structural details disclosed in the prior application may be substituted in the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings;

FIGURE 1 illustrates the manner in which the device of the instant invention cooperates with a standard typewriter. To show the relationship which the device assurnes to elements of the standard typewriter, certain of these elements are shown in phantom on the draw: irig'. Thus the conventional typewriter platen P, the type bar guide G adjacent the platen and the type bar segment S on which the conventional type bars of thestandard typewriter are swingably mounted to be moved into cooperation with the forwardly projecting parallel prongs G of the type bar guide G are illustrated in phantom. Also to more clearly depict the relationship which the instant invention has to parts on a standard typewriter, the usual ribbon vibrator V which carries the ribbon R into the path of the type characters formed on the faces of the usual complement of type bars is illustrated with the ribbon R threaded therethrough. The type bar guide G is shown with a rectangular opening G as provided in the type bar guide on mos-t standard typewriters to enable viewing of the front paper scale, which scale indicates the carriage position to facilitate setting margins and tabulator stops.

The device of the instant invention as specifically illustrated in FIGURE 1 for use with a standard typewriter includes a character holder 10 and an adaptor bracket 11. The adaptor bracket 11 is engaged with the forwardly extending type bar guide prongs G by sliding the bracket onto the prongs in the direction of the arrows on FIGURE 1. After being moved onto the type bar guide prongs, the bracket 11 is clamped on the type bar guide to assume a fixed predetermined position relative to the standard typewriter parts.

The structural details of the particular bracket shown in the accompanying drawings are illustrated more clearly in FIGURES through 8. The construction of the character holder which cooperates with the bracket is shown most clearly in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

The adapter bracket 1-1 as shown, is provided with upstanding side walls each of which is provided on the inwardly facing surface thereof with a groove 16. The spacing of the grooved walls 15 is such that the inwardly fading greases 1'6 slida'bly engage over the outer edges of the parallel prongs G 'onthe type bar guide G of the standard typewriter. The wails 15 are joined by a bridging wall 17 which abuts against a portion of type' bar guide G as shown in FIGURE 6. The upper edge of wall .17 is shown as being notched at 18st) that when positioned on the typewriter guide G, the bracket 11 will not interfere with movement of the type bars into'cooperation with guide G in the normal typewriter operation.

For clamping the bracket in position on the type bar guide,'the bracket 11 in 'the illustrated embodiment is provided with a set screw z llwhich is threadably engaged a tab 21, such tab being integral with the lower end of wall 17 and being -bent to extend horizontally rearward relative to wall 17 as shown in FIGURE 4 6. The set screw 29 is thus positioned so that with the bracket 11 in position on the prongs G of type bar guide G the screw may be engaged with the downwardly facing edge of opening G" to clamp the bracket on the guide G as shown with reference to the phantom illustration of guide G in FIGURE 6.

With the outer edges of the prongs G engaged with the inwardly facing grooves 16 of upstanding side walls 15 the set screw 20 ash is screwed up against the downwardly facing edge of opening G of guide G draws the bracket firmly down against the upper and outer corner edges of the prongs G. Also by reason of the position of the point of set screw 20 relative to the thickness of guide G the set screw will tend to draw the wall 17 into firm engagement with the face of guide G as shown in FIGURE 6.

Although in the embodiment of FIGURES l, 5 and 8 the bracket 11 has been illustrated as provided with a set screw engageable with the type bar guide G to clamp the bracket on the standard typewriter, it will be appreciated that a variety of ditferent equivalent means may be employed to perform the function of holding the bracket in position on the typebar guide in proper relation for positioning the character holder 13. For example, the bracket 11 may be afixed to the type bar guide by a screw threaded into an aperture provided in the guide. Also by way of example, the bracket may be held on the type bar guide as by means of clamping springs in the manner disclosed in the above mentioned copending application Serial No. 27,983.

Each side wall 15 has a leg 22 connected to the upper end of such wall above the groove 16 and extending forwardly and then reversely bent to extend rearwardly so that the rearwardly extending portion thereof generally overlies the upper edge of the wall 15 to which the leg is connected. The free end of each leg 22 at the rearwardmost part of the rearwardly extending portion carri'es an upstanding guide member 25 so that a pair of parallel upstanding guide members are provided for sliding cooperation with the character holder 19.

The reversely bent form of the legs 22 permits ready adjustment, both as to spacing and verticalness, of the position of the paralleled guide members 25 relative to the body of the bracket .11 when it is afiixed to the type writer type bar guide G. Thus the legs 22 may be bent to extend inwardly such as shown in the plan view of FIGURE 7 and in FIGURE 1 so that the spacing between guide members 25 will be proper to slidably receive and support the character holder 10. Also the reversely bent configuration of legs 22 permits the guide members 25 to be disposed in the proper generally vertical relation so that the character holder 10 positioned thereon will be properly related to the surface of the typewriter platen P.

In the embodiments shown in FIGURES l and 58 one of the guide members 25 is provided with a leaf spring zewhich is suitably attached at one end to the lower end of the guide member as by a bolt 29. The" spring extends upwardly along the outer face of the member 25; on which it is mounted and has a forked upper end providing an elongated opening 30. The member on which the spring is mounted has an elongated slot or opening 31 through which a. pointed screw detent 32 extends. The screw detent is fixedly mounted on the forked end of spring 23 in the manner as more clearly shown in FIGURE 8. The screw detent 32 has slots 33 formed on opposite sides thereof so that the screw can slide within the forked end 30 of spring 28. A nut 34 is threaded onto the outer end of screw detent 32 to draw the screw into locking relation to the spring 28 at the desired predetermined position longitudinally of the forked 7 end 30. By providing the slots 33 on opposite sides of screw deterzt 32 the detent is held between the tines of 'end 30 and is thereby prevented from turning when the nut 34 is screwed up to tighten the 'detent in place.

smash The construction for mounting the screw detent 32 on spring 28 enables the position of the detent to be longitudinally adjusted on member 25 and then locked in position relative to the guide member 25 on which it is mounted. This detent 32 cooperates with a recess provided in the character holder to insure proper positioning of the holder on the bracket 11 and relative to the typewriter as will be described.

With the adaptor bracket 11 clamped in proper position on the prongs G of type bar guide G the guide members will, in the illustrated embodiment, extend parallel and vertically upwardly to slidably receive a character holder 10, selected to apply the desired additional character in the typewritten matter. Attention may now be directed to the structural details of the character holder 10, such details and the mode of effecting printing of the additional character carried by the holder being illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

The holder 10 includes a body portion having a rear side 41 and a front side 42. A handle portion 43 extends upwardly from the body portion 46 providing a convenient part for grasping and manipulating the holder in applying and removing it in use with the standard typewriter. Also the handle portion 4-3 provides a surface on which may be conveniently displayed, such as shown at 44, an indication of the particular character type which the holder is designed to produce. Thus a series of holders for producing different characters such as letters, signs, symbols, etc. may be maintained in a group and the desired holder readily selected from the group by viewing the indicia displayed on the handle portion to ascertain the character which will be produced by such desired holder. In the particular holder illustrated the character which will be produced by such holder is the letter R enclosed within a circle. This character is used in association with a trademark to indicate that the trademark is registered with the United States Patent Office.

The opposite sides of the body portion 40 are provided with grooves 45. The guide members 25 on adaptor bracket 11 are slidably received in grooves 45 as the holder 10 is moved into proper position for applying an additional character. A recess 46 is provided at a predetermined position along the length of the bottom of grooves 45 to receive the end of screw detent 32 carried by the adaptor bracket 11. Thus as the holder 10 is moved into engagement with members 25 the spring 28 on bracket -1 1 permits the screw detent 32 to yield outwardly until the holder has moved down onto members 25 to the proper point whereupon the point of detent 32 enters recess 46. This acts as an effective limit stop and when the position of detent 32 has been properly located longitudinally relative to member 25 it assures that the holder mounted on members 25 is properly positioned for actuation by one of the standard typewriter type bars without risking damage to the type bar by reason of the type formed on such bar engaging the end of the actuator segment for the additional character.

The provision of the spring biased detent 32 has (let nite advantages in the instant invention. Not only does the detent when engaged with the recess 46 retain the holder 10 against further movement onto members 25 which would result in improper positioning of the holder relative to the typewriter parts but also it resists movement of the holder of? the members as may be caused by the urging created by the actuating force of a type bar engaging the actuator segment of the character carrying member when an additional character is being inseited.

It will of course be recognized that a variety of different structures may be employed to achieve the desired adjustable limit position for the character holder 10 relative to. bracket 11 and consequently relative to the typewriter type bars and platen. Merely by way of example, in place of the specific proposal of the accompanying drawings the adjustable stop disclosed in Serial No. 27,983 may be used if desired. In any event it is desired that the stop provided he adjustable and provide a reliable limit to movement of the holder into the members 25 and resist movement of the holder off of the members.

The body portion 40 has support means for slidably mounting the character carrying member asprovided in the illustrated embodiment by a bore 50 extending there through between the front and rear sides 42 and 41. A

. character carrying member 51 having a head portion 52 provided with a surface 53 on which is formed the type character to be applied by use of the particular character holder is provided with guide means to slidably engage with the body portion 40. This guide means in the proposal illustrated is provided by a shaft 55 which extends rearwardly from the head portion 52 to be slidably received in bore 59 and extend outwardly from the front side 42 of body portion 40. Shaft 55 ends in a segment 56 which is to be engaged by one of the standard typewriter type bars in actuating the device. If desired, the end of segment 56 may be provided with a cap of soft material as suggester in Serial No. 27,983.

To retain the member 51 in its normal retracted position as shown on the drawings, the body portion 40 is slotted at 59 and an L-shaped spring 60 is disposed in such slot with one end being held in a bore 61 and the outer free end extending through a groove 62 formed in shaft 55. It may be noted that the resiliency of the spring biases the member 51 to its retracted position while the passage of the spring 60* through groove 62 also holds the member 51 within bore 50.

In the embodiment illustrated the shaft 55 is square in cross section and engaged with the square bore 50 such that relative rotation between the member 51 and the body portion 40 is precluded. Also the passage of spring 60 through groove 62 prevents rotation of member 51 relative to the body portion. Thus, if desired, a cylindrical shaft may be employed with a cylindrical bore and a spring such as 60 as is disclosed in application Serial No. 27,983 or other suitable means employed to maintain proper orientation in the relationship between member 51 and the holder body portion 40. 1

Referring to FIGURE 2, the manner in which an additional character is applied in typewritten matter has been illustrated. In this figure, one of the conventional type bars B of a standard typewriter is shown as it moves toward cooperation with the type bar guide, such movement being effected by pressing the appropriate key for the type bar B. The type bar B engages segment 56 on the end of shaft 55. As bar B continues its movement, the head 52, with type character on the face 53 moves toward engagement with the typewriter platen. The type bar actuating mechanism operates the inked ribbon R to dispose the ribbon between the head 52 and the typewriter platen P which platen carries the sheet of paper being typed. Thus the type character on head 52 is driven against the ribbon to print the character onto the paper disposed between the ribbon and platen. The driving action of the type bar B overcomes the biasing of spring 60 to perform this typing of the specialized character.

When the type bar B is released to return it to its normal position, the spring 60 will retract the head 52. It Will be noted that the vertical positioning of the holder 10 on guide members 25 as determined by the location of screw detent 32 is important so that the segment 56 will be engaged by the portion of the type bar B midway between the upper and lower case letters on the type bar.

In application of the device of the instant invention to a standard typewriter in accordance with the embodiment shown in FIGURES 9 through 11, the same construction type holder 10 as employed with the adaptor bracket 11 may be used in the embodiment of these figures. In FIGURES 9 through 11 the elements corresponding to elements in the previously described embodiment are designated by reference characters in a one hundred series.

of the type bar guide G. YBy so modifying the conventional type bar guide or by replacing an existing type b'ar guide with one constructed as shown in FlGURES 9 through ll a standard typewriter may be altered to accommodate various character holders 10 as described hereinabove.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 9 through 11, the spring biasing detent as described in connection with adaptor bracket 11 has been illustrated, including spring 128 adjustably carrying detent 132. It will be readily recognized that a variety of different constructions may be applied to achieve adjustable limiting of the movement of holder 10 onto the guide members 25 to assure its proper positional relationship to the typewriter platen, type bar guide and type bars. Thus, for example, an adjustable stop screw on guide member 25 and an abutment on the holder 10 may be provided in place of the spring detent in the manner as described in prior application Serial No. 27,983.

A variety of possible modifications Within the scope of the invention have been described hereinabove. One other may be mentioned in noting that the guide members 25 have been shown as parallel upstanding members so that the holder 16 slides downwardly thereonto. it will be appreciated that other guide support means may be provided to cooperate with an appropriately formed body portion of the holder in attaining the proper predetermined mounted relationship to the standard typewriter parts.

Many variations and modifications of the present invention will occur to those skilled in the art from a study of the invention modifications specifically disclosed herein. All such variations and modifications which come within the spirit and scope of appended claims are intended to be included herein as fully and completely as if they had been specifically illustrated, described and claimed. Thus the modifications specifically disclosed are exemplary only and not intended tofbe limiting on the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A device to facilitate applying an additional character in typewritten matter in conjunction with typewriter operation comprising a type bar guide adapted to be mounted adjacent the typewriter platen and having forwardly projecting spaced prongs to guidingly cooperate with the typewriter type bars, a guide member extending from each of said prongs and disposed toward the laterally outer edge of the prong with which it is associated, a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides, means on said body portion for slidable engagement with said guide members to position said holder in predetermined relation to said type bar guide, a handle portion extending from said body portion, support 'means on said body portion for slidably mounting a character carrying member,,a character carrying member having -a head portion provided with a surface formed to provide the type character which is to be applied by use of said device, guide means extending forwardly from said surface and slidably engaged with said support means to posi-,

tion said surface in outwardly facing relation to said rear side of said body portion, said guiderneans extending to said front side of said body portion and having a segment extending forwardly of said front side to be engageable by one of the typewriter type bars to' "apply the type chara'cter in the typewritten matter, and spring means cooperating with said member to bias said member to dispose said segment forwardly "relative to said front side of said body portion.

2. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein said means for slidable engagement with said guide members comprises parallel grooves on said body portion the laterally opposite sides thereof. V

Thus as shown, upstanding guide members, 125 are mounted on the outer edges of the prongs G disposed on 3. A device as recited in claim 1 wherein said guide members are provided on an adaptor mounted on said type bar guide to dispose the guide members to extend upwardly from the prongs of said type bar guide.

4. A device to facilitate applying an additional character in typewritten matter in conjunction with typewriter operation comprising a type bar guide adapted to be mounted adjacent the typewriter platen and having forwardly projecting spaced prongs to guidingly cooperate with the typewriter type has, a guide member extending upwardly from each of said prongs and disposed toward the laterally outer edge of the prong on which it is mounted, a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides, means on said body portion for slidable engagement with said guide members to position said holder in predetermined relation to said type bar guide, adjustable stop means between said body portion and at least one of said guide members to predetermine the position for proper location of said holder relative to said type bar guide, a handle portion extending from said body portion, support means on said body portion for slidably mounting a character carrying memher, a character carrying member having a head portion provided with a surface formed to provide the type character which is to be applied by use of said device, guide means extending forwardly from said surface and slidably engaged with said support means to position said surface in outwardly facing relation to said rear side of said body portion, said guide means extending to said front side of said body portion and having a segment extending forwardly of said front side to be engagea-ble by one of the typewriter type bars to apply the type character in the typewritten matter, and spring means cooperating with said member to bias said member to dispose said segment forwardly relative to said front side of said body portion.

5. A device as recited in claim 4 wherein said stop means comprises a spring biased detent on one of said guide members engagea-ble with a recess formed in the means for slidable engagement with said guide members.

6. A device to facilitate applying an additional character in typewritten matter in conjunction with operation of a typewriter which has a type bar guide adjacent a platen and type bars selectively cooperable with such guide comprising an adaptor having grooved walls spaced c to engage over the outer edges of the forwardly extending prongs of the typewriter type bar guide, a guide member mounted to extend upwardly from each of said walls to provide a pair of parallel guide members, a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides, means on said body portion for slidable engagement with said guide members to position said holder in predetermined relation to said type bar guide, a handle portion extending from said body portion, support means on said body portion for slidably mounting a character carrying member, a character carrying member having a head portion provided with a surface formed to provide the type character which is to be applied by use of said device, guide means extending forwardly from said surface and slidably engaged with said support means to position said surface in outwardly facing relation to said rear side of said body portion, said guide means extending to said front side of said body portion and having a segment extending forwardly of said front side to be engageable by one of the typewriter type bars to apply the type character in the typewritten matter, and spring means cooperating with said member to bias said member to dispose said segment forwardly relative to said front side of said body portion.

7. A device as recited in claim 6 wherein each guide member isconnected to the upper edge of the grooved wall with which it is associated by a reversely bent leg such that adjustment of the relationship between the guide member and wall can be effected by bending such leg.

8. A device to facilitate applying an additional character intypewritten matter" in conjunction with operation of a typewriter which has a type bar guide adjacent a platen and type bars selectively cooperable with such guide comprising an adapter having spaced walls formed to engage over the outer edges of the forwardly extending prongs of the typewriter type bar guide, a bridging wall joining said spaced walls having a tab extending rearwardly of said wall with a clamping screw threadably engaged with said tab to be movable into engagement with the type bar guide in aflixing the adapter to the type bar guide, a guide member mounted to extend from each of said spaced walls to provide a pair of parallel guide members, a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides, means on said body portion for slidable engagement with said guide members to position said holder in predetermined relation to said type bar guide, a handle portion extending from said body portion, support means on said body portion for slidably mounting a character carrying member, a character carrying member having a head portion provided with a surface formed to provide the type character which is to be applied by use of said device, guide means extending forwardly from said surface and slidably engaged with said support means to position said surface in outwardly facing relation to said rear side of said body portion, said guide means extending to said front side of said body portion and having a segment extending forwardly of said front side to be engageable by one of the typewriter type bars to apply the type character in the typewritten matter, and spring means cooperating with said member to bias said member to dispose said segment forwardly relative to said front side of said body portion.

9. A device to facilitate applying an additional character in typewritten matter in conjunction with operation of a typewriter which has a type bar guide adjacent a platen and type bars selectively cooperable with such guide comprising an adaptor having spaced walls formed to engage over the outer edges of the forwardly extending prongs of the typewriter type bar guide, a guide member mounted to extend upwardly from each of said walls to provide a pair of parallel guide members, a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides, means on said body portion for slidable engagement with said guide members to position said holder in predetermined relation to said type bar guide, adjustable stop means between said body portion and at least one of said guide members to predetermine the position for proper location of said holder relative to said adaptor, a handle portion extending from said body portion, support means on said body portion for slidably mounting a character carrying member, a character carrying member having a head portion provided with a surface formed to provide the type character which is to be applied by use of said device, guide means extending forwardly from said surface and slidably engaged with said support means to position said surface in outwardly facing relation to said rear side of said body portion, said guide means extending to said front side of said body portion and having a segment extending forwardly of said front side to be engageable by one of the typewriter type bars to apply the type character in the typewritten matter and spring means cooperating with said member to bias said member to dispose said segment forwardly relative to said front side of said body portion.

10. A device as recited in claim 9 wherein said stop means comprises a spring biased detent on one of said guide members engageable with a recess formed in the means for slidable engagement with said guide members.

11. A device to facilitate applying an additional character in typewritten matter in conjunction with operation of a typewriter which has a type bar guide adjacent a platen and type bars selectively cooperable with such guide comprising a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides, a handle portion extending from said body portion, support means on said body portion for slidably mounting a character carrying member, a

character carrying member having a head portion pr'ovided with a surface formed to provide the type character which is to be applied by use of said device, guide means extending forwardly from said surface and slidably engaged with said support means to position said surface in outwardly facing relation to said rear side of said body portion, said guide means extending to said front side of said body portion and having a segment extending forwardly of said front side to be engageable by one of the typewriter type bars to apply the type character in the typewritten matter, spring means cooperating with said member to bias said member to dispose said segment forwardly relative to said front side of said body portion, and means on said body portion to position said holder in predetermined relation to the type bar guide, platen and type bars for engagement of said segment by a type bar as such type bar is moved toward cooperation with the type bar guide in operation of the typewriter.

12. A device to facilitate applying an additional character in typewritten matter in conjunction with operation of a typewriter which has a type bar guide adjacent a platen and type bars selectively cooperable with such guide comprising a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides, a handle portion extending from.

said body portion, support means on said body portion for slidably mounting a character carrying member, a character carrying member having a head portion provided with a surface formed to provide the type character which is to be applied by use of said device, guide means extending forwardly from said surface and slidably engaged with said support means to position said surface in outwardly facing relation to said rear side of said bod-y portion, said guide means extending to said front side of said body portion and having a segment extending forwardly of said front side to be engageable by one of the typewriter type bars to apply the type character on said surface in the typewritten matter, spring means cooperating with said member to bias said member to dispose said segment forwardly relative to said front side of said body portion, and parallel grooves on the laterally opposite sides of said body portion for slidable guiding engagement with guide members associated with the typewriter bar guide to position said holder in predetermined relation to the type bar guide, platen and type bars for engagement of said segment by a type bar as such type bar is moved toward cooperation with the type bar guide in operation of the typewriter.

13. A device to facilitate applying an additional character in typewritten matter in conjunction with operation of a typewriter which has a type bar guide adjacent a platen and type bars selectively cooperable with such guide comprising a holder having a body portion and a handle portion extending therefrom, "said body portion having a bore extending therethrough, a member having a head portion and a shaft extending from said head portion, said head portion having a type face on the side shaft extends outwardly from said body portion, and

means on said body portion for positioning said holder in predetermined relation to the typewriter type bar guide to dispose said outer end of said shaft for engagement by one of the type bars as such type bar is moved toward cooperation with the type bar guide.

14. A device as recited in claim 13 wherein said bore and said shaft have mating cross-sectional configurations to preclude relative rotation between said bore and said shaft in sliding movements of said member relative to said body portion.

15.- A device to facilitate applying an additional character in typewritten matter in conjunction with operation of a typewriter which has a type bar guide adjacent a platen and type bars selectively cooperable with such guide comprising a holder having a body portion and a handle portion extending therefrom, said body portion having a bore extendingtherethrough, a memberhaving a head portion and a shaft extending from said head portion, said head portion having a type face on the side of said head portion opposite said shaft with said face benig formed to provide the character which is to be applied by use of said device, said shaft being slidably received in said bore and extending outwardly from said body portion on the side thereof opposite said head with the outer end of said shaft being engageable by one of the typewriter type bars to apply the character on said type face in the typewritten matter, a slot in said body portion intersecting said bore, a spring mounted in an opening formed at one end of said slot and extending through the slot to pass across said bore and engage with an opening formed in said shaft, and means on said body portion for positioning said holder in predetermined relation to the typewriter type bar guide to dispose said outer end of said shaft for engagement by one of the type bars as such type bar is moved toward cooperation with the type bar guide.

16. A device to facilitate applying an additional charactor in typewritten matter in conjunction with operation of a typewriter which has a type bar guide adjacent a platen and type bars selectively cooperable with such guide comprising a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides, a handle extending upwardly from said body portion and providing a face thereon for display of a representation of the character to be applied by the device, said body portion having a bore extending therethrough, a member having a head portion and a shaft extending from said head portion, said head portion having a surface on the side opposite said shaft with said surface being formed to provide the type character which is to be applied by use of said device, said shaft being slidably received in said bore and having a segment extending forwardly of said front side to be engageabl'e by one of the typewriter type bars to apply the character in the typewritten matter, spring means cooperating with said member to bias said member to dispose said segment forwardly relative to said front side of said body portion, and means on said body portion to position said holder in predetermined relation to the type bar guide, platen and type bars for engagement of said segment by a type bar as such type bar is moved toward cooperation with the type bar guide in operation of the typewriter. 7

17. A device to facilitate applying an additional'character in typewritten matter in conjunction with operation of a typewriter which has a'type lbar guide adjacent a platen and type bars selectively cooperable with such guide comprising a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides, a handle extending from said body portion and providing a face thereon for display of a representation of the character to be applied by the device, said body portion having a bore of non-circular cross-section extending therethrou-gh, a member having a head portion provided with a surface formed to provide the type character which is to be applied by use .of said device, a

shaft having a cross-sectional configuration conforming to that of said bore extending from said head portion on the side opposite said'surface, said shaft beirigslidably received in said bore and having a segment extending forwardly of said front side to be iengageable by one of the typewriter type :bars to apply the character in the typewritten matter, spring means cooperating with said member to bias said member to dispose said segment forwardly relative to said front side of said body portion, and parallel grooves on the laterally opposite sides of ,saidt body portion for slidable guiding engagement with guide members associated with the typewriter type bar guide to position said holder in predetermined relation to the type bar guide, platen and type bars for engagement of said seg- V ment by a type bar as such type bar is moved toward cooperation with the type bar guide in operation of the typewriter.

18. A device to facilitate applying an additional character in typewritten matter in conjunction with typewriter operation comprising a type bar guide adapted to be mounted adjacent the typewriter platen and having forwardly projecting spaced prongs to guidingly cooperate with the typewriter type bars, a guide member extending from each of said prongs and disposed toward the laterally outer edge of the prong with which it is associated, a leaf spring secured to one of said guide members and extending upwardly therealong to provide an upper free end, a detent element adjustably secured to said upper free end, a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides, parallel grooves on said body portion disposed on the laterally opposite sides thereof for slidable engagement with said guide members to position said holder in predetermined relation to said type bar guide, a recess disposed in one of said grooves to receive said detent element when said holder is properly located relative to said type bar guide, a handle portion extending from said body portion, support means on said body portion for slidably mounting a character carrying member, a character carrying member having a head portion provided with a surface formed to provide the type character which is to be applied by use of said device, guide means extending forwardly from said surface and slidably engaged with said support means to position said surface in outwardly facing relation to said rear side of said body portion, said guide means extending to said front side of said body portion and having a segment extending forwardly of said front side to be engageable by one of the typewriter type bars to apply the type character in the typewritten matter, and spring means cooperating with said member to bias said member to dispose said segment forwardly relative to said front side of said body portion.

19. An attachment for a typewriter or the like, comprising a holder member having an upper handle portion and a lower character holding portion, means in the lower character holding portion for receiving and retaining a shaft therein, a shaft in said means, a head portion connected to one end of the shaft, a character on said head portion, said means receiving said head portion in recessed position therein, said shaft extending from the rear face through the front face of the lower character holding portion,'and said shaft being slidable Within the said means.

20. An attachment for a typewriter or the like, comprising a holder member havng an upper handle portion and a lower character holding portion, means 'in the lower character hold-ing portion for receiving and retaining a shaft therein, a shaft in said means, a head portion connected to oneend of the shaft, 2. character on said head portion, said means receiving said head portion in recessed position therein, said shaft extending from the rear face through the front face of the lower character holding portion, said shaft being slidable within the said means, a vertical slot provided on the front face of said holder member and extending between the handle portion and t the lower character holding portion, and a spring mounted in a bore formed at the upper end of the slot and extending through the slot to a position adjacent the bottom of the chanacter holding portion and engaged with'said shaft to bias said head portion to said recessed position.

21. An attachment for a typewriter or the like, comprising a holder member having an Upper handle portion and a lower character hold-ing portion, means in the lower character holding portion for receiving and retaining a shaft therein, a shaft in said means, a head portion connected to one end of the shaft, a character on said head portion, said means receiving said head portion in recessed position therein, said shaft extending from the rear face through the front face of the lower character holding portion, said shaft being slidable within the said means, a vertical slot provided on the front face of said holder member and extending between the handle portion and the lower character holding portion, and a spring mounted in a bore formed at the upper end of the slot and extending through the slot to a position adjacent the bottom of the character holding portion, said spring passing through a vertical bore provided in said shaft.

22. A device to facilitate applying an additional character in typewritten matter in conjunction with actuation of a type bar of a typewriter comprising a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides and a handle portion extending from said body portion, support means on said body portion for slidably mounting a character carrying member, a character carrying member having a head portion provided with a surface formed to provide the type character which is to be applied by use of said device and guide means extending forwardly from said surface, said guide means being slidably engaged with said support means to position said head portion with said surface in outwardly facing relation to said rear side of said body portion, said character carrying member having a segment disposed to :be engageable by one of the typewriter type bars to apply said type character in the typewritten matter, and means on said holder to position said holder in predetermined relation to the type bars for engagement of said segment by a type bar as such type bar is actuated in operation of the typewriter.

23. A device to facilitate applying an additional character in typewritten matter in conjunction with actuation of a type bar of a typewriter comprising a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides and a handle portion extending from said body portion, support means on said body portion for slidably mounting a character carrying member, a character carrying member having a head portion provided with a surface formed to provide the type character which is to be applied by use of said device and guide means extending forwardly from said surface, said guide means being slidably engaged with said support means to position said head portion with said surface in outwardly facing relation to said rear side of said body portion, said character carrying member being disposed to be eugageable by one of the typewriter type bars to apply said type character in the typewritten matter, means biasing said head portion toward said body portion, and means on said holder to position said holder in predetermined relation to the type bars for engagement of said character carrying member by a type bar as such type bar is actuated in operation of the typewriter.

24. A device to facilitate applying an additional character in typewritten matter in conjunction with operation of a typewriter which has a type bar guide with a pair of forwardly projecting spaced prongs to guidingly cooperate With the typewriter type bars and an upwardly extending guide member on each of such prongs comprising a holder including a body portion having front and rear sides and a handle portion extending from said body portion, said body portion being formed with vertically extending slide means for slidable engagement with the upwardly extending guide members on the type bar guide to position said holder in predetermined relation to the type b a-r guide, support means on said body portion for mounting a character carrying member, a character carrying member having a head portion provided with a surface for-med to provide the type character which is to be applied by use of said device and guide means extending from said head portion, said guide means being engaged with said support means to position said head portion with said surface in outwardly facing relation to said rear side of said body portion, and means connected between said holder and said character carrying member biasing said head portion toward said body portion, said character carrying member being disposed by said predetermined relation of said holder to the type bar guide to be engageable by one of the typewriter type bars to apply said type character in the typewritten matter when a type bar is actuated in operation of the typewriter.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 544,193 Pickles et a1. Aug. 6, 1895 1,978,068 Weniger Oct. 23, 1934 2,305,763 Dietrich Dec. 22, 1942 

